Storms cause damage, problems across NY area

January 31, 2013 3:14:21 PM PST

Eyewitness News

NEW YORK --

A wind-driven rain caused power outages and storm damage leading to a day of clean-up in the New York area.

It's hard to call it a winter storm, because temperatures were at or near 60 for most of its duration. Freezing could be a potential problem when cold air filters into the area after the storm moved out Thursday morning.

On the Long Island Rail Road, service was suspended in both directions east of Mineola on the Port Jefferson and Ronkonkoma branches for most of the day because of a broken utility pole leaning on electrical lines west of Hicksville Station. Service was restored just before 4 p.m.

Hundreds of flights were canceled across the nation, including dozens at all three local airports. Delays were more prevalent, with better flying weather returning after the storm.

Connecticut was the hardest hit, with utility companies there reporting more than 55,000 power outages at the storm's peak.

The National Weather Service issued high wind warnings statewide that expired late Thursday morning, with gusts hitting 65 mph in some places. The winds hampered efforts to restore power in some areas.

Con Edison reported about 5,000 customers without power throughout New York City's five boroughs during the height of the storm, as well as more than 4,000 customers out in Westchester County. The Long Island Power Authority reported 28,000 customers without electricity.

The storm moved out of the area between 7 and 8 a.m., replaced by partly sunny skies.